View Full Version : Asteroids Deluxe cocktail help 12/4 update
y-bot
07-16-2006, 04:23 AM
I just picked up an Asteroids Deluxe cocktail today and I have some questions. I think it has monitor issues. Everythiing is too big, moved to the right, overlapping and fluctuating in size. Am I right in assuming that is a monitor adjustment/needs a cap kit issue? Where can I get the woodgrain sticker stuff that goes on the cabinet? The top part is stripped of the woodgrain and molding. Where is a good place to get repro control panel overlays and white buttons? What goes under the top piece and around the monitor? Was it some kind of plastic bezel? There is felt crappily stapled on now. There is no screen overlay for this, right? Uprights have some sort of colored overlay but cokctails don't, correct? Thanks for the help.
y-bot
Arcade Antics
07-16-2006, 10:50 AM
I just picked up an Asteroids Deluxe cocktail today
Congrats! Great game. :)
and I have some questions. I think it has monitor issues. Everythiing is too big, moved to the right, overlapping and fluctuating in size. Am I right in assuming that is a monitor adjustment/needs a cap kit issue?
Start with the easiest stuff first (adjusting monitor knobs). Did a quick search of the web and found this:
6. Problem: Ships & Saucers too large on Asteroids Deluxe:
From Ben Cole:
Fix: Replacing the M6 (74LS175N Quad D flip flop ) solved the problem. M6 receives the scaling signals from K6 memory data latch. Special thanks to Jess Askey for helping me with that problem.
Where can I get the woodgrain sticker stuff that goes on the cabinet? The top part is stripped of the woodgrain and molding.
Try woodgrain wallpaper, stonic has used it in the past with excellent results (see his Frogger restoration thread).
Where is a good place to get repro control panel overlays and white buttons?
Repro art - best place is http://www.arcaderenovations.com/store/home.php ; however, I think the AD cocktail might have just had black panels without artwork. Anyone?
What goes under the top piece and around the monitor? Was it some kind of plastic bezel?
Yup.
There is no screen overlay for this, right?
Nope, no overlay.
Uprights have some sort of colored overlay but cokctails don't, correct?
IIRC, neither the AD uprights nor the tables have overlays. The upright had the groovy background artwork though.
y-bot
07-17-2006, 02:48 AM
Look at the screenshots on KLOV:
http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=6940
Isn't that some sort of overlay? I haven't found any pictures of a cocktail with that screen though, maybe it's only uprights. Is there a good place to send the monitor board(s) to to get a cap kit installed? I've never discharged a monitor but I think I've read enough articles about it that I can probably do it. I don't have a good soldering iron/desolderer or the skill to do circuit board work.
y-bot
That's not an overlay... that's actually a partially reflective mirror with blacklight lit art behind it. The monitor image is partially reflected to the player, and the art behind the mirror is also partially visible (makes a pretty cool effect).
DogP
y-bot
07-17-2006, 11:14 AM
That's not an overlay... that's actually a partially reflective mirror with blacklight lit art behind it. The monitor image is partially reflected to the player, and the art behind the mirror is also partially visible (makes a pretty cool effect).
DogP The cocktail version doesn't have anything like that though, correct? It just has a plastic bezel around the monitor? Is there anything on it or plain black? I can't tell from the pictures I've seen.
Thanks, y-bot
Arcade Antics
07-17-2006, 11:18 AM
The cocktail version doesn't have anything like that though, correct? It just has a plastic bezel around the monitor? Is there anything on it or plain black? I can't tell from the pictures I've seen.
It's just a plain black bezel.
Arcade Antics
07-17-2006, 11:22 AM
I don't have a good soldering iron/desolderer or the skill to do circuit board work.
Soldering isn't too difficult. Like anything, it just takes a little practice. You can pick up solder, a decent soldering iron and a solder puller at any electronics type store (Radio Shack, Fry's, etc.) or even Home Depot.
y-bot
07-17-2006, 07:47 PM
The cocktail version doesn't have anything like that though, correct? It just has a plastic bezel around the monitor? Is there anything on it or plain black? I can't tell from the pictures I've seen.
It's just a plain black bezel.
Thanks for all the help so far. Is the monitor bezel the same as other Atari cocktails from the same era? I adjusted the X & Y gain on the game pcb and it changes the size but doesn't fix the graphics. The test screen is supposed to be a rectangle with diagonal lines but the lines on mine are overlapping and at wierd angles. Alos the right so doesn't show. Any more clues as to what that could be? I'm going to try and figure out how to test the power output and make sure it's correct. Would something on the game board make weird output like that or is it more likely power/monitor problems?
y-bot
I am in no way an expert, but it does sound like a cap issue. On all of the older machines like that the caps are usually screwed.
y-bot
07-18-2006, 05:38 PM
I sent my monitor to this place to be repaired:
http://cgi.ebay.com/GO5-805-15-Monitor-Repair-B-W-X-Y-Asteroids-Cocktail_W0QQitemZ6255161135QQihZ010QQcategoryZ137 16QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
For $100 or so total I would rather pay someone else than risk shocking myself and screwing up the monitor with my crappy soldering skillz.
I also got some repro control panel overlays here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Asteroids-Deluxe-cocktail-CPO-set_W0QQitemZ300008777858QQihZ020QQcategoryZ13718Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I missed this auction, but is this the correct monitor bezel? It's cardstock and I think and it says it's for a 13" monitor. Mine's 15", do some Asteroids (non-Deluxe) cocktails have 13" monitors? Did Asteroids Deluxe have that smoked plexiglass piece?
Where can I get the molding that goes around the edge of the table top? It's not T-molding but I think it looks the same from the outside. I would like to fine a whole Atari cocktail table top with decent woodgrain on it that matches the woodgrain that's still on the cabinet but unless I found it locally the shipping would be more than the part is worth.
y-bot
y-bot
11-27-2007, 11:25 PM
So I got the board and monitor fixed a long time ago and I've never quite finished the cosmetic stuff but I'm still having a minor problem. The image on the screen sort of fluctuates. If you watch on character on the screen you can see it moving. I just checked the voltage on the A/R board and it was fine, I also rebuilt it and there is no change. Is there a monitor adjustment or something?
y-bot
y-bot
11-28-2007, 01:10 PM
Without see it, I would first suspect the HV board (were all the caps replaced? For $100 I would hope so...), then the AR power supply board, and finally the power block (the 'big blue' cap). If one of the caps fail along the way, you get an AC ripple in the picture.
I'm selling a 13" monitor now, that I started at $100 :/
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120188846557
I'll try and make a video of the screen when I get some time. I don't trust the person who rebuilt the monitor so there could be a problem with that. Read more about it here:
http://www.gamesforum.ca/showthread.php?t=5627
I'm glad that the first google result for his business name is still my newsgroup posting. I rebuilt the AR power supply board myself yesterday with a kit from Bob Roberts and I'm fairly confident it's working correctly. What is the "power block", the transformer?
Thanks, y-bot
y-bot
11-28-2007, 04:44 PM
Hooray! I hope that prick went out of business but my guess is that he just changed his business name. I think I got the right parts to fix the A/R board. The caps I changed were all the same values. From what I read the main difference is that Asteroids uses a 1000 value cap for the big ones and Asteroids Deluxe uses 3300 value caps. I haven't found a good resource for where to check the voltage on the main PCB. I've checked it on the A/R board and it seems fine.
y-bot
y-bot
12-05-2007, 01:15 AM
Okay, I made a video of my game playing. It's hard to tell what is the screen fluctuating and what is my crappy camera holding skillz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u59nYFIYjbQ
It seems like everything gets bigger and then there is a tiny pop noise and it gets smaller and then starts over again.
y-bot
y-bot
12-05-2007, 11:31 AM
It doesn't have a ripple and it doesn't go in and out of focus. It may get brighter and dimmer and the size definitely changes. I moved to the corner because I thought you could see what was happening better if you could see the edge of the monitor. No matter what I did with the lighting I couldn't get a vid with the edge of the monitor showing AND what was going on with the screen.
y-bot